


On Paper

by wellthatsood



Series: With the Devil on Your Back [1]
Category: Boardwalk Empire
Genre: Divorce, F/M, Season/Series 04, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 22:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthatsood/pseuds/wellthatsood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Margaret's changing marital status causes introspection for AR.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Paper

“Ah. So it’s final then?”  

Margaret turned to stare up at him quizzically. He put his finger on the corner of a page, protruding beneath another stack, and teased it out of the pile.  

“Give me those!” She went to grab her divorce papers from his hands, but he held them to his chest, out of her grasp.  

She huffed and sat back in her chair, glancing nervously about the crowded room— it was important that she maintain her facade. They could not know that she was divorcing, nor the name of her husband, nor her real name. It had been foolish to keep the papers at work, but she thought they were well-hidden beneath the others… Only the edge of the letter had been visible; did Mr. Rothstein know everything immediately?  

“Am I to offer my congratulations or my condolences?” He smirked like he knew the answer, and did not glance up as his eyes roved the page. Then, he chuckled to himself. “His middle name is Malachi?”  

“Must you be so condescending?” she asked brusquely, raising her brow in defiance. Mr. Rothstein looked surprised by her tone— although the signs lasted mere seconds, before they were trapped again beneath his cool demeanor— and he apologized. He placed the papers back onto her desk, tapping them lightly as he did.  

“It’s not my place to snoop, I suppose.”  

“You suppose correctly. And I’ll thank you to keep your judgments to yourself.”  

Now, he really did look at her with surprise. “Have I offended you?”  

“Yes. Yes, you have.” Although she was sitting, Margaret pulled her shoulders back, to her full height. “You _pry_ into my business, when I suspect you know full well that I would like to keep such things private, and then you’ve the gall to mock me for them. I’ll not have it. I won’t be made to feel ashamed.” She cast a look around and dropped her voice. “Besides, it’s not so unheard of these days, is it, a woman seeking divorce?”  

He stared at her, face aging decades with his frown. “No,” he answered in a whisper. “It is not so unheard of.”  

Mr. Rothstein leaned back against her desk, perched on the edge, and stared out towards the rear window. “My apologies, Miss Rohan. As you say, it is not my business.”  

She hurriedly tucked the papers into her drawer, situating them so that they were completely out of sight. She was unnerved by him, by the sincerity that shone on his face. It was funny, how he seemed to become more and more readable with each visitation. Perhaps she had simply not known the language of his face, at first.  

“But you should know, I have no judgments where this is concerned.” He nodded towards her desk drawer, folding his hands across his lap. She noticed he wore no ring. He offered a tight smile. “I’ve met the man, after all.”  

Margaret laughed, and Arnold smiled. He seemed pleased with himself, as her grin betrayed some small level of forgiveness.  

“Then you understand, don’t you?” Margaret meant it lightly, but he looked surprised, as though he had already lost the thread of their conversation. She cleared her throat and clarified, “You understand why I shouldn’t like to stay with him, since you yourself aren’t too keen.”  

“I suspect our reasons are entirely different, Miss Rohan. And I suspect you find similar fault in me, only you are too polite to make that known.” He fixed her with a steady stare, challenging her to vocalize any disapproval. Yet, she had resolved to never be so easily anticipated.  

“I’ll grant that neither of you are honest men,” she began. He nodded in acceptance of her judgment, but she reached out, touching his arm for just a moment. “But I’ll also grant that you’re a more decent man than he will ever be.”  

He smiled in a way that made her sad to see, as he stared down at his folded hands.  

“You’re kind to say that. But I’ve more in common with Mr. Thompson than I will ever care to admit.” 


End file.
